An Introduction to Session Four Homework

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Hello everyone,

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Welcome to those of you who are new here and joining us for our final session on Monday (our teach-in with Bill Fletcher Jr.) and thank you to all of you who have attended our whole Solidarity in the Face of MAGA course with such fidelity. 

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The purpose of this session four homework assignment is to 1. Help you on your path to finding (or deepening your engagement within) a “political home,” a political organization or group of some kind that you regularly meet with, learn and take action with, and find a sense of belonging in, and 2. Introduce you to some new skills and understandings to help direct some of your work within that political home. We're excited to expand upon these themes in our session on Monday!

 

The homework begins with a group of study materials. The first is a longer essay describing something called the “Block and Build” framework and how we might manifest it as we organize with others. Block and Build is a terminology that was first coined by Convergence Magazine and subsequently adopted as an organizing model by a number of progressive and socialist political organizations (Bill also happens to be on the advisory board of Convergence). 

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To put it simply, this a “defense-offense” orientation. First, it calls on us to do all we can to “block” MAGA’s authoritarianism. Sometimes this means doing so as part of broader coalition efforts with anti-fascist centrist political groups and leaders – those who we or our organizations may not agree with on a number of things but who have shared commitments to civil liberties, civil rights, and democracy. Simultaneously, the “build” part of this framework calls on us to build a unified progressive-socialist left that can be the most compelling force within this anti-fascist coalition (and the most compelling alternative to MAGA) and ultimately build enough popular support to lead this country.

 

This opening essay in your study materials is called “Block and Build 2.0” and was written by Convergence Magazine’s editorial team just before the inauguration to discuss what this framework may need to look like now that Trump has returned to power.

 

After this broader strategic orientation, your study materials continue with some shorter resources on specific skills that we as individuals can bring into our organizing.

 

Finally, your homework closes with an “activity” portion which is a “personal assessment” that calls on you to journal about your current political involvement and how you may want to shift it, deepen it, make it more sustainable, or make it more aligned with some lessons and insights you’ve gained from this course. We hope you're able to get to this as we'll discuss themes from it in our session together.

 

I hope these homework materials are fruitful for you!

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David

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P.S. I used the term "progressive-socialist left" above to indicate the need to build broad cohesion within the left-wing of the American political spectrum, comprised largely of people and groups who identify as either progressive or socialist. If you're wondering what I mean by the word "socialism" check out the following resource (which is also in your study materials for this session):  

 

• On Democratic Socialism and the Importance of International Solidarity – Excerpt from an Essay of David's (6-7 min read or listen).